1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a displacement hull water vehicle and, more particularly, to a displacement hull water vehicle having an air cushion region formed in the bottom portion of the hull in order to defrictionize the water flow under the hull as the vehicle is propelled through the water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Displacement hull water vehicles are well known and presently in common use on a world-wide basis. Examples of displacement hull vehicles are aircraft carriers and large petroleum transport ships, tankers. Displacement hull water vehicles have relatively sharp bows and flat bottoms, the sharp bow divides the approaching water to the right and to the left as the vehicle moves forward across or through the water. Displacement hull vehicles are characterized as being relatively slow compared to surface effect ships (SES) which is mainly due to the amount of friction (drag) on the hull caused by the water moving along the hull as the vehicle is propelled through the water.
Consequently, a need exists for a displacement hull water vehicle having a hull construction designed to mitigate the effects of some of the friction drag as the vehicle is propelled through water to thereby permit the vehicle to attain a higher nautical speed at a given propelling power level than is presently possible or conversely to permit the vehicle to travel at the same given speed but at lower power level in thus requiring less fuel consumption.